Motorcycling The Cherohala Skyway
A Ride on the Skyway
The area surrounding Monroe County, Tennessee and the Cherokee National Forest is some of the world's best riding. There are breath taking views around every curve!
Visiting downtown Tellico Plains is a great place to start a ride on the Skyway. The Town Square Cafe has a good country breakfast, and right around the corner from the Town Square Cafe is Scott Street, where there is a neat motorcycle shop, Tellico Motorcycle Outfitters. Take a walk down this intriguing little road to find the Tellico Arts Center, a not for profit juried art center thats purpose is to support local arts and provide a place where both visitors and local citizens may enjoy the wide array of indigenous arts. There is also The Tellico Creamery (an ice cream, candy and confection store), The Tellico Emporium, Stone Cottage Shops and Gardens for Antiques, The Castle Gallery for Pottery and eclectic art, Scott Street Gallery for original nature art, and Tellico Grains, a little European style bakery.
When you head back toward the Skyway, the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center is an important place to stop for a map (frameable!) and friendly information. Attractive t-shirts and other Cherohala Skyway history items and memorabilia are available. There are also outdoor picnic tables if you would like to sit and have snack and read your map.
Heading down the Skyway from the Visitor Center a short distance is the road to Bald River Falls and the Ranger Station on the right, River Road. River Road is a very nice little tree-lined ride along the Tellico River. You can view Bald River Falls right from the road; just watch out for people standing on the bridge!
When you finally make it back to The Skyway there are large sweeping curves and great views everywhere you look. There are well marked "photo ops" and places to pull off and enjoy the views. Indian Boundary Campground is a good place to take a break and look around. Especially in the morning when the mists are just lifting, revealing beautiful Indian Boundary Lake.
At the end of the Skyway, Highway 69, you can turn left to ride the Dragon, turn right to go into Robbinsville or ride the Skyway again back to Tellico Plains to have lunch at the Tellicafe!